Tag Futebol

تحدث حمد المقبالي حارس مرمى منتخب الإمارات، عن التعادل مع منتخب مصر في بطولة كأس العرب 2025 اليوم السبت.

وتعادل منتخب مصر مع نظيره الإمارات بهدف لكل فريق في الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العرب.  وقال المقبالي، عبر قناة “بي إن سبورت”: “اليوم لم يحالفنا الحظ، سعينا وسجلنا، لكن الكرة لم تنصفنا اليوم، ونقطة أفضل من لا شيء”.

طالع | شيكابالا: أنتظر تكرار سيناريو الأرجنتين مع منتخب مصر في كأس العرب وتابع: “نقطة أمام المنتخب المصري الكبير والقوي جدًا والشرس في الملعب، وسنركز في مواجهة منتخب الكويت ونحصد بطاقة التأهل، وستكون مباراة نهائية”.

وسيلعب منتخب الإمارات في الجولة المقبلة أمام الكويت، فيما يلتقي منتخب مصر أمام الأردن.

أكد آرني سلوت، مدرب نادي ليفربول، أنه يريد بجانب لاعبي فريقه مصالحة جماهير الريدز، وذلك قبل مباراة سندرلاند بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويعتقد سلوت في حديثه إلى موقع ليفربول الرسمي، أن الانتصار الذي حققه فريقه على وست هام يوم الأحد الماضي كان خطوة في الاتجاه الصحيح بالنسبة للريدز.

ليفربول سوف يستضيف نظيره سندرلاند مساء اليوم الأربعاء على ملعب آنفيلد، ضمن الجولة الـ14 من عمر الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز على ملعب آنفيلد.

ويسعى ليفربول لمواصلة صحوته بعد الانتصار على وست هام، والذي كسر سلسلة سلبية من الهزائم المتتالية لرجال سلوت.

وقال سلوت: “لن يحتاج أي شخص يحضر هذه المباراة إلى أن أخبره أن أدائنا الأخيرين أمام جماهيرنا لم يرق إلى المستوى المطلوب، دون أن أطيل الحديث عن تلك المباريات، من الواضح أن هذا أمر لا نريد تغييره فحسب بل نحن بحاجة إلى تغييره جذري”.

وأضاف: “كلمة مستوى أساسية في وضعنا الحالي، يتعلق الأمر بالمستوى الذي وضعناه لأنفسنا الموسم الماضي والتوقعات التي وضعها النادي لنفسه لسنوات عديدة سابقة، هذا لا يضمن دائمًا نتائج جيدة ولكنه بالتأكيد يعزز فرصنا في تحقيقها، هكذا كان الحال دائمًا وهو كذلك الآن بالتأكيد”.

وأوضح: “لهذا السبب كان فوز يوم الأحد على وست هام خطوة في الاتجاه الصحيح بعد هذه الفترة الصعبة، لم تكن أفضل مباراة خاضها فريق ليفربول على الإطلاق، ونعلم أن هناك حاجة إلى مزيد من التحسينات ولكن الأداء كان المطلوب في ظل هذه الظروف”.

أقرأ أيضًا .. فيرتز: سعيد بترك بصمتي أمام وست هام.. ولاعب ليفربول بارع

وأردف: “حافظنا على نظافة شباكنا، ولم نمنح أي فرصة حقيقية لوست هام باستثناء الدقيقة الأخيرة ، وبذل اللاعبون جهدًا كبيرًا من بداية المباراة وحتى صافرة النهاية، علاوة على ذلك، سجلنا هدفين رائعين منحانا المكافأة التي نستحقها في ذلك اليوم”.

وتابع: “هذه هي أبرز ما قدمناه كفريق وفوق كل ذلك، حظينا بدعم يحدث فرقًا كبيرًا في مثل هذه الأوقات، إلى كل من سافر إلى لندن ليقدم لنا هذا الدعم، لا يسعني إلا أن أشكركم جزيل الشكر”.

وواصل: “لقد مررنا جميعًا باختبار صعب في الأسابيع الأخيرة، ومع ذلك استطاع المشجعون تجاوز خيبة أملهم ودفعنا للأمام، كنت أعرف قبل قدومي إلى ليفربول أن جماهيرنا معروفة بهذا، لكن معايشة ذلك عن كثب أمر مميزٌ حقًا مع أنني كنت أتمنى ألا يكون ولاءكم قد خضع للاختبار كما حدث مؤخرًا”.

واستكمل: “في الشوط الأول من المباراة ضد وست هام سمعت هتاف الأبطال من جانب الفريق الضيف في أكثر من مناسبة، وقد جسد هذا الهتاف روح التحدي التي سنظل بحاجة إليها في الأيام والأسابيع القادمة”.

وقال: ”نعم، أعلم أن هذه الأغنية تغنى بدافع الفخر لما حققناه معًا في الموسم الماضي، لكنها في هذه الفترة تكتسب معنىً إضافيًا بالنسبة لي ، معنى ذكرنا بهويتنا وما نؤمن به”.

وأضاف: ”ليس من قبيل الصدفة بالنسبة لي أن هذا النوع من التحدي في المدرجات لاقى صدى في الملعب، في لحظة عصيبة وقفنا جميعًا معًا وقاتلنا من أجل ليفربول، هذه الروح قادرة على المضي قدمًا، حتى بعد فترة سأكون أول من يعترف بأنها لم تكن كافية”.

وأوضح: ”التحدي الآن هو البناء على هذا الفوز، لا يمكننا أن نصدق أننا تجاوزنا مرحلة صعبة أو أن التعافي قادم، علينا أن نبقى متواضعين وأن نعمل بجد وأن نواصل الكفاح، إذا فعلنا ذلك، فربما نتمكن من مواصلة اتخاذ الخطوات الصغيرة للأمام وهي خطوات ضرورية للغاية”.

وأردف سلوت في حديثه: ”أود أن أرحب بريجيس لو بري ولاعبيه وجهازه الفني بالإضافة إلى جماهير سندرلاند ومجلس إدارته، في ملعب أنفيلد لمباراة الليلة، إن ما قدموه في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز هذا الموسم يعكس بشكل إيجابي للغاية أداء جميع أفراد النادي بعد صعودهم إلى الدوري الممتاز في مايو الماضي”.

وتابع: ”أكد فوز سندرلاند على بورنموث يوم السبت على العديد من الصفات التي لا تزال تميزهم في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، نتوقع منهم أن يصلوا بثقة عالية وعزم على تعزيز سمعتهم”.

واختتم سلوت: ”علينا أن نكون مستعدين وأن نظهر رغبتنا في تحسين وضعنا الحالي، إذا تمكنا من تحقيق ذلك فسنرى إلى أين سيقودنا”.

Robert Lewandowski claimed Barcelona are now even 'stronger' after making a long-awaited return to their iconic Camp Nou home with a 4-0 thrashing of Athletic Club. The Polish forward opened the scoring early in the game before Ferran Torres grabbed a brace and Fermin Lopez netted for the Blaugrana as they kept up the defence of their La Liga title.

• Dream return to Camp Nou

  Barcelona returned to Camp Nou on Saturday after a two-year exile due to the renovation of the venue. Hansi Flick's side marked the comeback to the iconic stadium with a memorable 4-0 win over Athletic Club in La Liga. Lewandowski scored the opening goal in the fourth minute before Torres doubled the team's lead at the stroke of half-time.

  Shortly after the break, Lopez added a third goal before Torres completed the demolition with a second strike in the 90th minute to seal important three points for the Blaugrana. 

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  'We're a slightly stronger team'

  Speaking to after the match, Lewandowski said: "We were returning to Camp Nou, and it was a special day for us. We're very happy to be able to play here. From the beginning, we played very well, scoring two goals in the first half and another two in the second. We added three more points, although the most important thing is that we're back here. Simply because it's a different experience when we play here."

  He added: "We were determined to attack from the start. So it felt special to score the first goal. I'm very proud. We have a very good team and now we have to look ahead. When we play at Camp Nou, we're a slightly stronger team."

• Williams faced hostility

  Nico Williams was strongly linked with a move to Barcelona in the summer transfer window until he decided against signing for the Catalan giants at the last moment and signed a new contract at Athletic Club. Thus, Barcelona fans were naturally angry at the Spain international winger as he faced hostility from the home crowd during the game.

  At full-time, Williams' team-mate Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta told reporters: "I was expecting this atmosphere, and I saw him calm. We’re gutted. We knew we had to do everything perfectly and that they had to have an off day. We have to pick ourselves up quickly because we have a game on Tuesday. Any mistake is punished against players of that calibre, even more so. Missing any game is a real bummer, and I’m gutted about it."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Why did Rashford miss Athletic Club clash?

  Rashford has reinvented himself under Flick at Barcelona after being frozen out at Manchester United under head coach Ruben Amorim. The England international move to the Catalan side in the summer transfer window on a one-year loan with an option to buy him permanently next season. Rashford has made a dream start to his journey with Barca and has also returned to the national team set-up.

  Unfortunately for Barcelona, he was ruled out of the clash at Camp Nou on Saturday after catching the flu. The official statement from the club read: "Marcus Rashford will miss today’s match against Athletic Club due to [the] flu."

  Flick will now hope that Rashford recovers quickly and is well enough for the trip to Chelsea on Tuesday in the Champions League and for their home La Liga encounter with Alaves next Saturday.

As Shohei Ohtani gears up to once again represent Team Japan in the 2026 World Baseball Classic to help the country defend its title, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts hopes the reigning National League MVP isn't planning on reprising his role as a two-way player for his home country.

“I don't,” Roberts told reporters on Monday at the winter meetings when asked if he knew if Ohtani would pitch in the WBC. “I'm hoping he doesn't. But I don't know. Shohei is very in tune with his body, but I would say probably, the thought is, he's probably just going to hit, but I really don't know.”

When Ohtani last played in the World Baseball Classic in 2023, it was as a two-way player, and he was his usual impactful self. In seven games, Ohtani posted a robust .435/.606/.739 slash line with one home run, eight RBIs and 10 walks. As a pitcher, Ohtani worked 9 2/3 innings—two games started and one contest in relief—pitching to a 1.86 ERA with 11 strikeouts. Along with then-Angels teammate Mike Trout, Ohtani provided baseball fans with peak theater when he struck out Trout, the tying run for Team USA in the top of the ninth inning, after an epic, six-pitch at-bat.

Unfortunately, later that September, Ohtani was forced to undergo surgery on his throwing elbow—and he would not return to the mound until the 2025 season with the Dodgers, who carefully managed his workload upon his return in June up until the postseason. And for Roberts, the less wear-and-tear on Ohtani's arm the better, especially with the Dodgers eyeing a three-peat in 2026.

Plus, it's not just Ohtani that Roberts is cautious about, but also Ohtani's fellow countrymen Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, each of whom is a good bet to once again represent Team Japan in the WBC come March.

“I think there's no more clarity for us,” Roberts said. “Obviously, it's something that they both are excited about potentially. Obviously, the country of Japan [is] excited. We have to have that conversation. I would like to think that it's going to be a dialogue as far as restrictions and limitations, in the sense of just trying to give them the opportunity.

“But also understand they've come off some stuff, some long seasons, and certainly with Yamamoto and looking out for 2026. But right now, there's no more clarity than we had before.”

The Dodgers are paying the trio of Ohtani, Yamamoto and Sasaki, each of whom played a pivotal role in the club's 2025 title defense, over $1 billion. It's understandable that they'd be cautious with each of their workloads.

Pool play in the WBC begins on March 5.

ESPNcricinfo looks back at some of Rohit Sharma’s best innings in ICC knockouts

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Mar-2025

30*(16) vs Pakistan

2007 T20 World Cup final, JohannesburgIn just his sixth international, a 20-year-old Rohit gave India a big finish after they chose to bat in the final of the inaugural T20 World Cup. Coming in at No. 6, he hit two fours, a six and four twos to ensure 27 came off the final two overs and India’s total was 157.Rohit Sharma gave a glimpse of his attacking batting as early as in his sixth international – at the T20 World Cup 2007•AFP

137(126) vs Bangladesh

2015 ODI World Cup quarter-final, MelbourneWickets through the middle overs slowed India’s scoring, and Rohit’s job was to bat deep as they aimed to build a big total that would take them through to the semi-final. On 90, Rohit was caught off a waist-high full toss that was called a no-ball, an incident that led to a furore in Bangladesh. From that point on, Rohit blasted 47 off 25, playing some exquisite shots, and India got to 302, a winning total.

123*(129) vs Bangladesh

2017 Champions Trophy semi-final, BirminghamWith India chasing 265, Rohit put on an exhibition, hitting 16 boundaries in his century and building a 178-run stand with Virat Kohli that took India home with nine wickets in the bag.

47(29) vs New Zealand

2023 ODI World Cup semi-final, MumbaiKohli’s 50th hundred headlined the day, but by the time he was in, a significant amount of the pressure on India had been relieved by Rohit’s whirlwind start. In their semi-final losses in the 2019 ODI World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup, India had made poor starts. Here, Rohit blasted four sixes early to make sure India were scoring at nine an over in the first powerplay.Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma added an unbroken 178 for the second wicket in the Champions Trophy 2017 semi-final•Getty Images

47(31) vs Australia

2023 ODI World Cup final, AhmedabadIn the final, with India put in, Rohit was off early. It was only Travis Head’s brilliance in the field that stopped his onslaught. Once he was out, India slowed down dramatically and ended up short of a winning total.

57(39) vs England

2024 T20 World Cup semi-final, GuyanaAgainst the same team they had stumbled in at the 2022 T20 World Cup, India lost the early wickets of Kohli and Rishabh Pant. With history weighing on him, Rohit embodied the bravery he had beseeched his team to have and continued to play his shots on a challenging track. His innings set the base for India to reach 171, which was more than enough on the surface.

76(83) vs New Zealand

2025 Champions Trophy final, DubaiWhile he had not registered a fifty in the tournament, Rohit had maintained his attacking intent throughout. In the final, with his side chasing 252, he laid down the marker for India’s approach by pulling the second ball of the innings for six. More boundaries followed off the seamers, and Rohit rotated well against the spinners, ensuring that even as India lost wickets in the middle, the asking rate never became daunting.

Allrounder reveals details of phone call with Brendon McCullum as he plots international recall

Matt Roller05-Feb-2025Player of the tournament in a World Cup win. More than 100 England caps across all formats. Back-to-back Hundred trophies, one as MVP. Million-dollar IPL contracts. A walk-on role in a County Championship three-peat. At 26, Sam Curran has already achieved more than most cricketers manage across their lifetime.Yet as he heads towards the peak years of most sporting careers, Curran is experiencing a lull: for the first time since he burst into international cricket nearly seven years ago, he finds himself outside of England’s squads in all three formats. There is little doubt that he will be back at some stage, but life on the fringes brings an uneasy novelty.Curran has kept his head down since he was left out of England’s white-ball squads for their tour to India and the subsequent Champions Trophy, with his focus on the ILT20 in the UAE. But he has decided the time is now right to address it, telling ESPNcricinfo from Dubai that he will be “banging the door” down until he is back in the international set-up.Related

Sam Curran added to England T20I squads as Ben Duckett takes break

England blown to bits-and-pieces as part-timers' bowling strategy backfires

Curran 'a bit gutted' to be overlooked as Stokes' replacement

Why England should back Curran for T20I middle-order spot

Curran bounces back to give England title-winning edge

“There were loads of different reasons I didn’t get picked,” Curran says. “More so the T20s, but I naturally felt I should have been in both teams. But they’ve obviously got their plans and you can look at the way they’re lining up now… The 50-over side is going to be similar to the T20 line-up, and they wanted the same structure of the top six.”At the time of his omission, Curran spoke to Brendon McCullum – whom he is yet to play under – and valued the clarity he received. “He just said: ‘You’re not in right now, but go away, score runs and take wickets.’ I respected it a lot: sometimes you just get the easy: ‘It’s not the end.’ But it was pretty clear what they wanted me to do.”Yet there is a sense that McCullum might consider his style of bowling – left-arm swing rather than seam, and speeds closer to 80mph than 90mph – an awkward fit in his England teams. His first white-ball squads contained a battery of right-arm quicks, and he overlooked Curran last summer when Ben Stokes’ hamstring tear had seemed to open up a return to the Test side.It prompted Curran to reveal his fear that he no longer “fit the mould” that England were looking for – less through his personality than his physical attributes. With McCullum in charge across formats and making abundantly clear that his preference is for a level of convergence in selection, the route back is unlikely to be entirely straightforward.But England’s 4-1 defeat to India served to highlight the value of variety in any T20 side, however expensive Curran has proved in the past two years. It means that twelve months out from another T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, the unlikely star of England’s 2022 triumph is confident that he can force his way into the side.Curran says England’s 2022 T20 World Cup win “feels quite a while ago”•AFP/Getty Images”Everyone knows things can change quickly,” Curran says. “I’m the type of guy that will go away and do well and improve. It was just a case of them going with the top six they want, and backing the five bowlers they’ve chosen. [McCullum] told me to keep banging the door down and I feel like I’ve come here and done pretty well. I’m in a good headspace.”Curran has taken the setback as well as could be hoped but the two years since England’s T20 World Cup win have not been without their challenges. He was dropped early in their disastrous defence of the 50-over World Cup and his form has oscillated between extremes – as is the case for most players whose calendars are dominated by T20.”It feels quite a while ago,” he reflects on England’s win in Australia. “There were some tough times for the team [after that]. It’s just been inconsistency, being in and out a lot of the time. That was the big message from above: go away and show consistency. I feel like hopefully I’ve done that, and will keep doing that.”

“I’m driven by winning trophies… If I can finish the tournament with loads of runs, a lot of wickets and winning a trophy, I feel that’s all I can really do”Sam Curran on playing in the ILT20

Curran is playing for Desert Vipers, Avram Glazer’s franchise, in the ILT20 and his performances helped them finish top of the group stages. He has taken six wickets with the ball but his main role has been with the bat: used in his preferred role at No. 4, he is their second-highest run-scorer and has walked off unbeaten in three successful run chases.Curran’s batting record in T20 internationals makes for ugly reading – an average of 14.24 and a strike rate of 124.47 – and it is increasingly clear that England have used him out of position. He has had no impact when used as a finisher but can control an innings from the middle order: his only T20 half-century for England came in his only innings at No. 4.If McCullum continues to favour high pace, consistent run-scoring may yet be the best way to get noticed. With England’s middle order struggling badly against spin, Curran’s status as a left-hander should play in his favour: he could feasibly be used as the one lower-tempo batter in a line-up of power-hitters, as Ben Stokes was during their 2022 success.Consolation came through the identity of the winning bidders: Chennai Super Kings, his old team. “I was buzzing,” Curran says, laughing off the significance of the price tag. “Chennai was where I kickstarted my IPL career. As soon as I was picked up, I had 10-15 messages from people who were there four years ago.”He will finally get to experience their home crowd this year, with his previous stints coinciding with Covid-enforced neutral venues. “I’ve played there as the away team, and you see the love for the players. It also helps when you have the habit of winning and great consistency with [Stephen] Fleming and those guys who have been there since the start.”A short break in the meantime will allow Curran a rare opportunity to take stock, and to keep his career in perspective. “Cricket – especially T20, let’s be honest – is very fickle,” he says. “You can get a good ball, or two bad ones, and it goes the other way: that’s what happens in T20. But for now, I’ve just got to keep banging the door down.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O Ceará anunciou, na noite da última quarta-feira (10), a saída do técnico Léo Condé. O rebaixamento para a Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro representou o fim da linha e, com isso, o clube voltará a buscar um novo treinador após mais de um ano.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCearáPresidente do Ceará explica rebaixamento: ‘Faltou equilíbrio’Ceará09/12/2025CearáAnálise: irregularidade causa um cruel rebaixamento para o CearáCeará10/12/2025CearáLéo Condé deixa o Ceará após rebaixamento no BrasileirãoCeará10/12/2025

➡️ Tudo sobre o Vovô agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Ceará

Condé chegou no Alvinegro em junho de 2024, tendo a missão de obter o acesso à Série A. O time engatou boa sequência sob seu comando e alcançou o feito na última rodada da competição. Assim, seu contrato foi renovado até o fim de 2025.

Com um título estadual e duas eliminações nas Copas, o grande objetivo do Ceará no ano era permanecer na Primeira Divisão. Após a derrota para o Palmeiras e o consequente rebaixamento, as partes chegaram em um acordo pela saída. Como o vínculo era válido até o encerramento desta temporada, não houve demissão.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Quando começa a Série B de 2026? Veja participantes

A passagem de Léo Condé no Ceará durou 83 jogos. Foram 37 vitórias, 17 empates e 29 derrotas, com 103 gols marcados e 78 sofridos.

O clube já busca um novo técnico, que terá a missão de comandar o Vovô no Campeonato Cearense, na Copa do Nordeste, na Copa do Brasil e na Série B.

➡️ Ceará amarga rebaixamento e descumpre duas metas no ano

Ceará descumpre duas metas de 2025

Com o rebaixamento, o Ceará descumpriu a última meta esportiva que restava para a temporada 2025. Anteriormente, os objetivos foram alcançados em duas das outras três.

continua após a publicidade

Nas metas, anunciadas no fim do ano passado, a previsão era de título no Campeonato Cearense. Tal fato se concretizou, visto que a equipe superou o rival Fortaleza na decisão e ficou com o bicampeonato.

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoCearáFutebol NacionalSérie B

A hot topic of conversation amongst Premier League fans is which stadium generates the best atmosphere.

Having a raucous home crowd can even help change the flow of a game, with an intimidating home support helping suck the ball into the net.

For visiting players, some grounds can be a nightmare to go to. However, there are other stadiums which are relatively quiet and less intimidating to visit.

Premier League Player Power Rankings 2025/26

So, for the 2025/26 Premier League season, here is every stadium ranked for atmosphere, taking into consideration noise levels and capacity.

Rank

Club

Stadium

1

Newcastle

St James’ Park

2

Liverpool

Anfield

3

Sunderland

Stadium of Light

4

Aston Villa

Villa Park

5

Leeds

Elland Road

6

Crystal Palace

Selhurst Park

7

Nottingham Forest

City Ground

8

Everton

Hill Dickinson Stadium

9

Arsenal

Emirates Stadium

10

Man Utd

Old Trafford

11

Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

12

Man City

Etihad Stadium

13

Chelsea

Stamford Bridge

14

Burnley

Turf Moor

15

Brentford

Gtech Community Stadium

16

Brighton

AMEX Stadium

17

West Ham

London Stadium

18

Wolves

Molineux

19

Fulham

Craven Cottage

20

Bournemouth

Vitality Stadium

20 Vitality Stadium Bournemouth

Starting off at the quieter stadiums in the division, AFC Bournemouth’s ground holds just over 11,000, something which hinders the atmosphere.

The Cherries have performed well on the south coast, however, a visiting player probably doesn’t fear a trip to the Vitality Stadium.

19 Craven Cottage Fulham

Next on the list is Fulham, with Craven Cottage previously having a mixed section for home and away supporters.

Now expanded to a capacity of just under 30,000, the Cottagers can create a good atmosphere, especially in a London derby, however, on the whole, it is one of the more relaxed stadiums to visit in the top flight.

18 Molineux Wolves

Wolves fans have not had much to shout about in recent years, and that has come across in the flat atmosphere at Molineux.

Regular defeats and flat performances have left home supporters with nothing to cheer or get behind, whereas it is arguably the worst viewpoint for away fans on the side of the pitch.

17 London Stadium West Ham

Even West Ham fans may even argue that the London Stadium should be further down this list after swapping the cauldron that was Upton Park for their current 62,500 stadium.

Built for the 2012 Olympics, it is evident that the ground was not made for football and that often comes across from the stands, with seats too far away to feel on top of the players.

16 AMEX Stadium Brighton

An impressive ground to visit, the AMEX Stadium has been home to Brighton & Hove Albion since 2011 and has been a Premier League stadium since 2017.

The Seagulls have had plenty of success and memorable moments at their home, which has created a solid atmosphere, especially behind the goal.

15 Gtech Community Stadium Brentford

Brentford moved into their new stadium in 2020 and have enjoyed plenty of success in the Premier League since.

However, the Gtech Community Stadium which holds more than 17,000 isn’t exactly a daunting place to go. A game under the lights can often generate the best atmosphere, though, as we saw in their 2-1 win over Liverpool.

14 Turf Moor Burnley

An old school traditional stadium, Turf Moor sees supporters close to the pitch with stands that rise steeply.

Holding just under 22,000 when at full capacity, the Clarets can generate a solid atmosphere but arguably cannot compete with some of their Premier League rivals and their grounds.

13 Stamford Bridge Chelsea

Chelsea’s atmosphere has been described as dull and lethargic and Joe Cole said in 2025 that it’s the “worst” he’s seen in all his years supporting, playing or visiting Stamford Bridge.

Despite this, the Blues often show in a big game that the noise can be generated, but they just don’t do it regularly enough.

12 Etihad Stadium Man City

Manchester City’s home support has been a running joke for a number of years now, however, the Etihad Stadium can generate an excellent atmosphere at times, especially for the big Premier League games.

The consistency isn’t there, though, with home supporters often leaving early despite seeing Pep Guardiola’s side run riot more often than not.

11 Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Tottenham

Even though Tottenham have one of the newest stadiums in the division, which includes a South Stand capacity of 17,500, Spurs’ home support is often flat.

Performances and results haven’t been there in recent years, but the 62,850 stadium doesn’t produce the atmosphere it should.

He confirmed he will continue to play domestic and franchise cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Sep-2025Pakistan batter Asif Ali has announced his retirement from international cricket. Asif, 33, played 21 ODIs and 58 T20Is, mainly as a finisher in the middle order.An aggressive batter, his most renowned knock is likely the seven-ball 25 he scored in a tense win over Afghanistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup.”Wearing the Pakistan jersey has been the greatest honour of my life and serving my country on the cricket field has been my proudest chapter,” he said in a social media post.Asif confirmed that he will continue to play domestic cricket and in franchise leagues around the world.Asif made his T20I debut against West Indies in April 2018 after helping Islamabad United win the PSL that year, hitting three successive sixes at a cruicial point in the chase in the final. Two months later, an ODI debut followed.In his heyday, though, Asif was viewed as something of a revolutionary for Pakistan cricket. At a time when they were short of genuine power hitters, Asif was fast-tracked into both white-ball sides. However, his own game was at times misunderstood by Pakistan’s selection and management team. Primarily a finisher, he often came in at number six in ODI cricket, much earlier than was conducive to his talents. In T20Is, he batted an average of just over seven balls an innings across his 58-match career, and finished over a quarter of his innings unbeaten: an indication he had come in too late and generally been underused.However, it is those brief cameos that provided produced the most enthralling moments Asif delivered. Against Afghanistan at the T20 World Cup in 2021, with Pakistan needing 24 off the final two overs, he smashed four sixes off Karim Janat’s 19th over to secure Pakistan’s progression to the semifinals. The following year at the Asia Cup, his 8-ball 16 spree secured Pakistan a win over India that took them through to the tournament’s final.But that was something of a last hurrah. A poor T20 World Cup followed, with Asif a peripheral figure even as Pakistan made their way to the final. Consistency was never a strength, but as his form deserted him, Pakistan began to produce a younger group of big hitters. His last appearance proper for the Pakistan side took place against India at the MCG that year, before making a smattering of appearances for a second-string Pakistan side in the 2023 Asian Games.”I retire with immense gratitude, and will continue to share my passion for the game by playing domestic and league cricket worldwide,” Asif said.

Northamptonshire have re-signed Indian legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal and Australian seamer Harry Conway as overseas players for next season.Conway, who took 20 wickets in four Championship appearances earlier this year, will return for the start of the 2026 campaign. The 33-year-old is expected to be available for the first block of seven games in April and May.Chahal, meanwhile, has agreed to return for a third consecutive summer at Northants, joining for the second half of the season to play in the County Championship and Metro Bank One-Day Cup. Overall, he has taken 44 first-class wickets and seven in List A for the club.”Yuzi is a magnificent asset to this squad,” Northamptonshire’s head coach, Darren Lehmann, said. “His record across his career speaks for itself and he brings so much class and experience to the group. I loved working with him this year and am excited to go again in 2026.””For young spinners in the group like Nirvan Ramesh and Stuart van der Merwe, having Yuzi around to guide them will be a huge plus for their game.”On Conway, Lehmann added: “Harry is an excellent addition for 2026. His form last year was fantastic, and I am excited to work with him for a longer period. His ability to take wickets on all surfaces and presence around the team makes him an invaluable player.”Northants have also signed batter Louis Kimber on a two-year deal from Leicestershire. Largely known as a white-ball hitter and occasional offspinner, Kimber made headlines in 2023 after scoring 243 off 127 balls in the County Championship at Hove.”Louis brings with him a huge amount of knowledge and experience around county cricket as well as boosting our batting firepower,” Lehmann said. “He will no doubt attract people to Wantage Road with his explosive batting and I can’t wait to start working with him.”

Josh Shaw joins Somerset

Josh Shaw spent six years at Gloucestershire•Dan Istitene/Getty Images

Gloucestershire have seen another member of their seam-bowling group depart, after Josh Shaw signed for Somerset earlier this week.Shaw, 29, had been under contract at Bristol since 2019, having previously played on loan from Yorkshire. He follows Ajeet Singh Dale (Lancashire), Zaman Akhter (Essex), Archie Bailey (Durham), Tom Price and Dom Goodman (both Sussex) in leaving over the close season.”We have seen first-hand how impactful Josh can be,” Somerset’s director of cricket, Andy Hurry, said. “He has the ability to swing and seam the ball, and he is an excellent addition to our bowling unit.”We are fully aware of Josh’s strong character traits and his willingness to be the best version of himself, which will add real value to the dressing room as well as on the pitch. These attributes will be vital for us as we continue to compete across all competitions.”